The maintenance and vibration issues have reduced the operational capabilities of the existing Seasprites to a level that is under what is acceptable to the Navy. That's why they are buying more - so even with the operational hours reduced to something like half what they were expected to do, the Navy will be able to have a fleet that meets its needs (simply be more than doubling the number of aricraft). Until they need spare parts of course, then they're screwed.

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Am I following this logic correctly? The ones we have don't work properly.....so lets buy more???

Ouch. I'm just reading up on the <i>Collins</i> boat mess... seems your government runs procurement about as well as our does

Though we really shouldn't derail this fine thread with such nonsense...

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Mate, thats not even the half of it. The clauses and fine print in the contract were/are incredible. The suppliers did not want to be seen in a bad light in any way, so they included clauses that involved penalties if anyone said anything negative about any aspect of the procurement, operation, etc...

Simply put, the suppliers had some very good legal types draft the contracts, the Navy had senior officers that absolutely knew what they were doing. just ask them.

I am currently reading Skunk Works by Ben Rich. He quotes one of Kelly Johnson's unwritten rules - "Starve before doing business with the Navy. They don't know what in hell they want and will drive you up the wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of your anatomy".

Am I following this logic correctly? The ones we have don't work properly.....so lets buy more???

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I think you have the picture.

I'm just glad this is a helicopter thread so I don't have to tell you about the Army's Light Armoured Vehicle debacle or the cock-up that is HMNZS Canterbury, our "flagship."
Anyone want a multi-role vessel that has the alcoves for the ship's boats too close to the waterline, the result of a little glitch in the tank testing?

I just found out that a local media outlet is not renewing the lease on a Jet Ranger they have been using for aerial filming.

The interesting part is that for the past fifteen years or so, every owner of this particular bird has gone bankrupt trying to make money from using it as a flying camera platform. The trend has always been paying to much up front, spending way to much on various costs, something major going wrong that needs to be fixed asap and then work drying up just when the break even point got close.

Apparently there are camera guys that believe its cursed. They won't refuse to fly in it, but if they get the call they are always already booked for another job.

The interesting part is that for the past fifteen years or so, every owner of this particular bird has gone bankrupt trying to make money from using it as a flying camera platform. The trend has always been paying to much up front, spending way to much on various costs, something major going wrong that needs to be fixed asap and then work drying up just when the break even point got close.

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Remember if you want to make a $million in aviation - Start with $2 million!

It's a great school, your going to love it. Neal, the owner, is a no nonsense, very honest guy. His equipment is exceptionally well maintained, and the facilities are great.
They have a really good program there, and the mountain flying to the east and the north are invaluable training assets. I got my ratings there in 92, just after the demise of Arizona Wing and Rotor.

It's a great school, your going to love it. Neal, the owner, is a no nonsense, very honest guy. His equipment is exceptionally well maintained, and the facilities are great.
They have a really good program there, and the mountain flying to the east and the north are invaluable training assets. I got my ratings there in 92, just after the demise of Arizona Wing and Rotor.

Long Post follows. The names have been changed to protect-- well, me. Timmy- Copilot, Terry- CrewchiefThe language may be offensive, my grammer worse, and parts of this may or may not have actually happened. Enough of

On January 5, 2013 we were flying an EC 145 doing Hoist training with local firefighters. We were going to do a 300ft hoist at the LZ to reset it prior to doing live lifts. On final to the LZ at approximately 30KTS and 400FT, we were slowing down and descending. Terry announced that he was going to open the R/H cargo door. Moments prior to him opening the door, the #1 ENG OUT light appeared with the following indications (N1=0, Oil pressure= 0, Oil temp= 70, TGT approximately 500 and descending, TQ=0). I knew we were fawked. Timmy asked if &#8221;I did that&#8221;. Hell no was my reply. Really dude, was my thoughts, why the fawk would I shut an engine down on myself on final. Really, I&#8217;m not little E (inside story). Then Timmy starts nagging on me like my wife which starts a catfight between us. So we&#8217;re going at it like two squirrels when Terry pops his head in and slaps the shit outta Timmy and said this shit just got real-Get to work. In utter amazement the following ensued.Timmy announced that the #1 Eng just died. No shit. Like a boss, I lowered the nose to gain single engine airspeed and prayed don&#8217;t fail me now sweet gods of rotor speed. I pushed the rotor to max while searching for a landing spot. I turned left to avoid the populated areas (neighborhoods, hotels, park, liquor stores and what not) and align with the beach for a possible autorotation and bikini scope since the cause of Eng failure was unknown. No dice, it&#8217;s cold out no bikinis.

Timmy slowly rotated the # 1 Eng to idle checking for any indication and then performed a single eng emergency shutdown like he was the man. I begged him to call over the 800 operation freq and the firefighters below that we were about to die due to an eng failure and shit. He simultaneously put the nearest airport in the GPS and selected a direct course for it. Of course he did. During his estrogen fueled hysteria,Timmy while knob dicking with the radios stranded me from the only professionals I could possibly rely on for the duration of the emergency, the crew chiefs. This unnecessary finger fawking of my avionics control panel isolated me, placing the entire weight of this life or death situation on my undersized shoulders.I focused on keeping the A/C at a good autorotation speed and tried to gain altitude to the nearest airport expecting a loss of the #2 engine because who the fawk knows why the other one quit. Timmy backed us up on the checklist like we supposed ta while the crewchiefs were announcing that they had secured the cabin and themselves. Timmy announced an emergency on the local CTAF to clear the general aviation airplanes. It went like this. Holy shit we going down, get the fawk outta the way.

There were 2 trainers in the pattern, 1 fawkin around on the runway, and 1 doing who knows what on the taxiway. I then announced that I would try to prevent any further damage by minimizing the run on landing distance and hover if possible- not easy- we were heavy. On final to the airport at 3 feet and max transient tq, we were able to continue forward IGE flight to a safe parking area away from the other planes and did a better landing than our CPT with 2 Engines.

So we get down with the only injuries being my knuckles from a fist bump.

Then Monday, my Willys' fan decided to exit through the radiator. I am down to a DR650 or a Ural that I just rejetted and haven't ridden since. I am typing this with oven mitts and a helmet.